February 18, 2007

More Juice for the 21C

"Today,
about 90 percent of the world's electricity is created through an
indirect and inefficient conversion of heat. It is estimated that two
thirds of the heat used by thermoelectric converters are wasted and
released. But now, researchers from the University of California at
Berkeley have found a new way to convert this wasted heat into electricity
by trapping organic molecules between metal nanoparticles. So far, this
method of creating electricity creation is in its very early stage, but
if it can scale up to mass production it may lead to a new and
inexpensive source of energy."

Comments

"Today,
about 90 percent of the world's electricity is created through an
indirect and inefficient conversion of heat. It is estimated that two
thirds of the heat used by thermoelectric converters are wasted and
released. But now, researchers from the University of California at
Berkeley have found a new way to convert this wasted heat into electricity
by trapping organic molecules between metal nanoparticles. So far, this
method of creating electricity creation is in its very early stage, but
if it can scale up to mass production it may lead to a new and
inexpensive source of energy."